When You're Ready
by Tanuki-Mara
Summary: Kisame will wait until Itachi's ready. KisaIta, fluff, shonen-ai.


Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto.

**When You're Ready**

_For Gwyllion_

Itachi Uchiha was scary. He had been told that fact several times.

He was quite proud of it. He could death glare something fierce, he could cut someone to the bone with his words and he could make people wet themselves with his aura of evil-ness.

But he could not deal with five year olds.

His parents had politely told him that he was watching his little brother Sasuke and his best friend Naruto while they went to dance classes with the Namikaze-Kitsune's. Itachi had scowled and demanded fifty bucks.

He was promised thirty.

This was so not worth it. Naruto was a hyper, insane idiot, and Sasuke was doing nothing to stop him. Naruto was running all over the large house, knocking things over and refusing to sit still.

Itachi's arm shot out and he caught the child around the waist. He was only twelve. He shouldn't have to put up with this. He carried the giggling Naruto over to the couch and dumped him there, glaring at him.

"Sit still!" he hissed. Naruto nodded obediently, and Itachi turned to check on Sasuke. As soon as he saw his little brother was still occupied with his book he turned back and groaned as he saw Naruto was gone.

"Fucking little..." Itachi knew his parents would flip if they ever heard him use that language, but he didn't care.

Itachi sighed as he crossed to look in the kitchen. Naruto was a damn bottomless pit. The room was empty, and Itachi eyed the phone. It was tempting... but he could handle this. He wouldn't phone for help.

Itachi stalked through the house, getting angrier and angrier. He was so sick of this. He just wanted to sit down and read. He didn't want to search the house for a little hyperactive child.

"Naruto!" Itachi snarled as he stomped into Sasuke's bedroom and saw two legs sticking out under the bed. "Get out here you pathetic excuse for a child!"

Naruto crept out, crawling to his feet and staring up at Itachi with large, scared eyes.

"You little shit," Itachi was at his wits end. He was a calm, collected child, but Naruto drove him to the edge, and over. "I fucking hate you! Why the fuck can't you just sit there and read like Sasuke? No wonder your parents leave you here so much, they probably can't stand being near you! It's a wonder anyone can! You're an annoying little pain in the ass, and I bet Sasuke hates you on the inside!"

Naruto's eyes were overflowing with tears, and as soon as he saw them regret and guilt hit Itachi like a brick. Naruto's bottom lip quivered as his hands were tangled in his top.

"N-Naruto," Itachi stammered, feeling immensely guilty. "Naruto, I-"

The dam broke. Naruto burst into loud, messy tears, running from the room. Itachi let him go, his heart aching for the bright, usually sweet child. Sasuke was going to kill him.

Itachi stood in the room for a couple of minutes, silently calling himself three different kinds of an idiot before he moved downstairs.

Naruto was on the couch with Sasuke. Itachi's little brother was laying back against the arm of the couch, Naruto lying in between his legs, face buried in Sasuke's neck, sobbing heavily. Sasuke was stroking Naruto's back softly, whispering something into his ear. As soon as he saw Itachi at the door, he glared. Itachi was very impressed with the level of 'death' in the glare.

He couldn't fix this. He wasn't good at comforting people, he wasn't good at comforting children especially. But he knew who was.

Itachi left for the kitchen, crossing to the phone. He dialled the familiar number that belonged to his best friend, waiting patiently for him to pick up.

"_Hello?_"

"I need help."

"..._I'm sorry, could you repeat that?_"

"You heard me."

"_No, I couldn't have. I could have just sworn that you asked for _help._"_

"Get over here."

"_Alright, I'm on my way!_"

Itachi hung up and hurried to the front door to wait. It only took ten minutes, and then the doorbell rang. Itachi threw the door open eagerly.

"What did you do?"

Itachi glared at his best friend. Kisame Hoshigaki just grinned at him as he stepped into the house, running a hand through his dark blue hair. His ebony skin showed its slight blue tinge as he stepped from the bright sunlight into the artificial light of the house.

"I said something to Naruto that upset him," Itachi said quietly. "I was out of line. Now he won't stop crying."

The fourteen year old grimaced as he looked around.

"Where is he?" he asked. Itachi nodded towards the lounge. He quickly explained what he said, feeling even worse as Kisame stared at him.

"I know," he muttered. "I feel terrible. Can we get on with it?"

Naruto adored Kisame. Kisame would play with him like no one else would, roughhousing, lifting him high and tickling him.

Kisame also knew how to cheer him up.

Kisame rested a hand against Itachi's cheek, smiling softly at him.

"Hey, I'll fix it," he promised as he stroked Itachi's cheek. Itachi shivered lightly, something he couldn't explain. "Don't worry."

Itachi watched from the door as Kisame crossed to the two children. Sasuke was obviously reluctant to let the crying Naruto go, but he relented and Kisame lifted the other child easily into his arms. He cuddled him close as Naruto wailed into his neck, sitting down on a chair with him.

Itachi had no idea what Kisame said, but soon Naruto stopped crying. He was gazing up at Kisame with adoration, and was soon smiling. Eventually he leaned up and pecked Kisame on the cheek before scrambling down from his lap and running over to Itachi, to the boy's great surprise.

Naruto threw himself at Itachi's legs, hugging them tight. Itachi reached down and petted blond locks.

"M sowwy, 'Tachi," Naruto whispered. Itachi reached down and picked Naruto up, propping him on one hip.

"No, _I'm _sorry, Naruto," he murmured as he pressed a kiss to Naruto's forehead. "I didn't mean anything I said."

"I know," Naruto said with a grin. He kissed Itachi's cheek before wiggling. "Down! Wanna sit wi'h Sas'ke!"

"Alright," Itachi set him down, and watched as he hurried back over to his friend. He climbed back up to rest against Sasuke's chest, and Itachi's little brother just stroked his hair with a smile.

"Come on," Kisame stood and grabbed Itachi's arm, dragging him from the room. "Let's go."

"Go where?" Itachi asked as he was dragged to his bedroom. "Stop that."

"Come on!" Kisame repeated. "Your bedroom."

As soon as they reached the room, Itachi gave Kisame a brief hug. He tried to step away, but the older boy pulled him closer. Itachi huffed but allowed it, leaning against that wide chest.

"Thank you, Kisame," he whispered. Kisame grinned against his head.

"No problem, Itachi," he said as he crushed him tighter. They leaned back at the same time, and their eyes met. Kisame's darkened slightly, and Itachi's heart sped up again.

"What?" he asked as Kisame's eyes roved over his face. Kisame sighed before releasing Itachi and stepping back.

"Nothing," he said with a tight smile. He turned to the TV before pausing and looking back at him. "Hurry up and grow up, Itachi."

"What does _that _mean?" Itachi asked with a slight glare. "I'm way more mature than you. I _am _grown up."

"Mentally," Kisame said with a shrug. "But you're not grown up in everything."

Itachi bristled. He hated being told he was less than anyone.

"I'm ready for anything," Itachi said quietly, determination in his voice. "Try me."

Kisame opened his mouth to say something but then stopped. He looked at Itachi again, eyes glittering like onyx.

"Alright," he breathed, stalking towards Itachi. An arm went around his waist and he reached up to stroke Itachi's face softly. And then he leant in, pressing his lips softly to Itachi's.

Itachi gasped against his mouth. Kisame was kissing him. On the lips. It felt nice, and wet and weird, all at once. Itachi wasn't quite sure what he should do. Where did he put his hands? Was he kissing him back alright? _Why_ was Kisame kissing him?

"Kisame..." Itachi breathed as soon as the older boy released him. "What...? Kisame..."

"Told you that you weren't ready," Kisame mumbled as he crossed the room to look at Itachi's desk. "When you are, I'll be waiting."

Itachi pressed his fingers to his lips as Kisame kept his back to him. He nodded, even though the other boy couldn't see it. He would seek out Kisame.

When he was ready.


End file.
